To make progress in understanding the world and each other it is necessary to be flexible. It must be assumed that audiences and readers are familiar with our words, semantics and syntax. Sometimes clear definitions are desired, but these can also only be described in words. As already indicated in the posts about Wittgenstein and Gödel, there is more than can be expressed with words and formal systems. As long as we are still searching for understanding and truth, openness is necessary. Therefore, the brief descriptions below of the main concepts used here should not be taken strictly and may change over time. Links to the corresponding Wikipedia entries are also provided for reference.
Concept. (WP) An element in the mind, used as a building block for understanding.
Fact. (WP) An element in the observations, used as a building block for understanding.
Observation. What pops up in the senses, both, the lower, physical ones, as well as the higher ones of mind and soul.
Understanding. (WP) The ability to interrelate concepts, or facts with concepts.
Knowledge. (WP) The awareness of facts and concepts.
Science. (WP) The systematic activity to organize and present knowledge, such that it can be used for explanations and predictions.
Intelligence. (WP) The ability to understand and deal with the forces of nature and the skills of people.
Consciousness. (WP) The process of directing intelligence.
Pattern recognition. (WP) The human ability to discover recurring similarities in observations.
Artificial intelligence. (WP) The simulation of intelligence by mechanical, i.e. formally describable, means.
